Archive for July, 2015

Now that the family chicken pox epidemic has ended, we have come out of our quarantine and started doing some more interesting things. On Saturday there was a wonderful lunch with the extended family, and on Sunday a trip to Newcastle to catch up with friends there. Since it is 27 years since I lived there, there are not a lot of people I know left, but it is great that the friendships continue even though we see each other so rarely. There is a solid base of lives lived together almost three decades ago that does not go away. I did feel a bit out of place, as we caught up on what has been happening, which for the others was often children finishing school or university or getting married or having children. We are a long way from getting to that stage of life!

This week, we are finally able to do some holidaying, and some things that the children want to do rather than what the parents want/have to do. So there are a few visits to parks and museums booked. On Wednesday it is Pinuccia’s turn to speak, with a talk at a women’s meeting. Always difficult for her in English! Then on Saturday it is time to pack and move again, as we will be spending 10 days in Canberra visiting two churches and various friends (let me know if you would like to see us during the week sometime), as well as doing a bit of tourism.

I had a wonderful weekend in Melbourne, returning to my Italian roots – eating Italian food, giving and getting lots of kisses, having Italian coffee, going to visit someone in the afternoon and ending up staying for an impromptu dinner for 10. It was good also to see Pinuccia’s cousin again, with his new family. And also to talk about God’s work in Italy in one of the few Italian churches left. But it was also great to return home and be greeted by smiles from the twins when I walked in the door, even if they soon turned to two simultaneous cries of combined hunger and tiredness.

Pinuccia did not have quite such a good time with the children… She survived looking after them, with help from some friends for which we are very grateful. But just after I left at midday on Friday, Daniele got a fever, and on Saturday morning he had spots from the chicken pox that he had caught from Stefania. And a couple of hours later Luca and Mattia came down with chicken pox as well, which is not the best thing at 8 months old. This despite everybody being vaccinated. So we have cancelled our “social” and tourist appointments for this week. I have a prayer meeting to go to tomorrow and a couple of talks to give at a Bible college on Tuesday, and then I will finally get three free days – probably free only to do some nursing, but at least free from other commitments.

We are at the end of our theoretical rest period at the beginning of our time in Australia. “Theoretical”, because looking after the family is still more than a full-time job here as well, so there has been little time for resting or doing other things we enjoy to have a break. At least I got over the jet lag faster than on previous trips to Australia. We all still have bouts of tiredness, but it is hard to distinguish the effects of jet lag from the effects of two eight month olds. And in Stefania’s case, also the effects of the chicken pox that she came down with immediately after arriving. Daniele on the other hand crossed off one item on his life’s bucket list: not only did he see Colin Buchanan live in concert, but he sang with him on the stage. Daniele was terribly excited by it, whereas Stefania coped quite well with the disappointment of missing out due to her illness. We have also packed and unpacked for the second time in a week, and tomorrow pack again, this time for four days of prayer with the mission, which is the start of our official meetings. We get back to Sydney on Thursday, and on Friday I will be going to Melbourne for the weekend. This is an unexpected opportunity for me, and if any of my Melbourne friends want to see me I’ll be speaking at the Italian church in 196 Blackburn Road, Syndal on Friday night (in English) and Sunday morning (in Italian), or we could arrange to meet sometime on Saturday. Pray also for Pinuccia during the three days I am away – it is hard to look after the house and family when we are both at home, and impossible when one of us is away.